(back to top)

Jacob Atkinson

Souvenir of the Columbian Exposition, 1893

oil on canvas

12 x 16 1/8 in.

James E. Roberts Fund and Martha Delzell Memorial Fund

Learn More

Jacob Atkinson was a Philadelphia letter carrier who painted more as a hobby than a profession. A veteran of the Civil War, he had been hired for one of the many postal service jobs that were given to veterans. He painted still-life subjects, particularly pieces of mail and money, for amusement.  It is not known how many works Atkinson painted or whether he exhibited or sold any of his paintings during his lifetime.

Souvenir of the Columbian Exposition is only one of two known works by Atkinson. It exemplifies the illusionism of trompe l’oeil (French for “fool-the-eye”) paintings, using oil on canvas to create the effect of wood grain or a paper postcard. This kind of still-life subject, sometimes called a “letter rack” picture, originated in 17th-century Holland and was revived by several 19th-century artists working in Philadelphia, including William Harnett, James Peto, and several members of the Peale family. This painting is a document of one of the most important events in the history of American culture, the World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893. The stamp and letters, apt subject matter for a mail carrier, all relate to this exposition. An envelope addressed to “Mr. John Smith Philada Pa” is stamped “Due 1¢” and bears a commemorative stamp with the words “Columbus in Sight of Land” (one cent) mailed from Kensington Station, Philadelphia. This is pasted over an embossed commemorative Columbian envelope which bears the stamp “Columbia Station October 4 2PM Philadelphia,” perhaps a first day of issue. Beneath these are two postcards: an “Official Souvenir Postal” of the fair and another with the words “World’s Fair Station October 24.” Fascinated by the exposition and influenced by his job, Atkinson created a skillful souvenir of this important event.

Reference

Paul A. Chew. Penn’s Promise: Still Life Painting in Pennsylvania 1795-1930. Greensburg, Pennsylvania: Westmoreland Museum of Art, 1988. ISBN 0686380940